30 Minute Home Made Beer Bottle Opener

This post is a part of a series of projects I’ve been contracted to develop for The Gorilla Glue Company that will be featured at the Cincinnati Mini-Maker’s Faire, September 13-14, 2014. Click here for more information on the event.

Anybody who likes beer and has even the most rudimentary hand tools can make a half dozen of these popular bespoke bottle openers in an afternoon. They make great house warming gifts to go along with the six pack you tote to any party. You can use just about any scrap wood material and a few additional materials (a bent nail and rare earth magnet) to create a unique looking and quite handy tool. I’m using Gorilla Super Glue because it’s perfect for smaller, metal to wood bonds and dries really fast.

Follow the 16 steps below to make one or a baker’s dozen.

1. Cut the wood blanks 6″ x 1-1/8″ x 7/8″.
2. Trace a gentle sloped pattern 2″ from the front edge towards the back, rounding the back edge to a semi-circle.
3. Mark centered holes 1/2″ from the front edge (nail hole), and a 9/16″ hole from the bottom front (magnet hole), and bottom back edge (lanyard hole).
4. Using a 3/8″ diameter forstner bit, drill a hole approximately 1/8″ deep that allows the rare earth magnet to sit flush to the bottom.

5. Drill a 5/32″ diameter, 1-1/8″ deep hole in the front edge (based on nail diameter) and a 1/4″ hole through the spot marked on the back of the handle.
6. Using a band saw or coping saw, cut to just before the traced line.
7. Cut the waste away for the rounded corners. They will be refined and smoothed in subsequent steps.
8. Sand the profile of the cut handle smooth.

9. Mark the locations where you will break the edges down to fit your hand comfortably.
10. Using a file or coarse sand paper, shape a quarter-round profile along all of the edges, with exception to the bottom front edge.
11. Sand the wood handle with progressive grits of 120, 150 and 220 grit sand paper.
12. Cut a 16d galvanized nail approximately 2-1/4″ from the head and then make a bend 1″ from the cut end at about 95 degrees.

13. Apply a small amount of Gorilla Super Glue to the nail hole and drive the nail in so it is securely against the front bottom edge.
14. Do the same in the magnet hole and gently slide the magnet in place and let dry for 5 minutes.
15. Cut a heavy-duty nylon boot lace to about 16″. Tie a small, tight loop at the end, and then trim the excess and melt the tips to avoid fraying.
16. Apply a generous coat of penetrating oil to the wood and remove the excess. Once dry, loop the lanyard through the bottom of the hole on the handle.

Now it’s time to give it a try on your favorite micro-brew.

Cheers!

16 thoughts on “30 Minute Home Made Beer Bottle Opener”

It’s the project that’s important to these people, not the resulting product.
I love this Step:
” 4. Using a 3/8″ diameter forstner bit, drill a hole approximately 1/8″ deep that allows the rare earth magnet to sit flush to the bottom.”

Just go to 99Cents or Dollar Tree and buy a church key if your goal is to open beer bottles.

Yes, Seriously. It’s simplistic, and it makes sense. Why have something elaborate to do such a trivial process? I suppose you would rather have someone else open your beer for you, likely using a gold plated, diamond inlaid opener that is cost prohibitive? BTW, it’s ‘Insert’, not ‘Sticky’.

Well, despite all the wisecracks, I think it’s pretty cool.
If you must find something to complain about, how about my guess that less than 1% of people in the US under 50 could even make this little gem. That’s the grey cloud in this silver lining.
I can just imagine the millennials trying to spell forstner in Google search. I mean, it doesn’t even pass spell check.
Even worse, no one commented on Maker’s Faire. What a shame we have no skills left.
Nice job Andy!

16 thoughts on “30 Minute Home Made Beer Bottle Opener”

It’s the project that’s important to these people, not the resulting product.
I love this Step:
” 4. Using a 3/8″ diameter forstner bit, drill a hole approximately 1/8″ deep that allows the rare earth magnet to sit flush to the bottom.”

Just go to 99Cents or Dollar Tree and buy a church key if your goal is to open beer bottles.

Yes, Seriously. It’s simplistic, and it makes sense. Why have something elaborate to do such a trivial process? I suppose you would rather have someone else open your beer for you, likely using a gold plated, diamond inlaid opener that is cost prohibitive? BTW, it’s ‘Insert’, not ‘Sticky’.

Well, despite all the wisecracks, I think it’s pretty cool.
If you must find something to complain about, how about my guess that less than 1% of people in the US under 50 could even make this little gem. That’s the grey cloud in this silver lining.
I can just imagine the millennials trying to spell forstner in Google search. I mean, it doesn’t even pass spell check.
Even worse, no one commented on Maker’s Faire. What a shame we have no skills left.
Nice job Andy!